Government pays out £2.3bn in compensation to former miners

Former miners and their families have now received more than £2.3bn in compensation for respiratory disease and vibrationwhite finger.

New figures published in answer to a parliamentary question also showed the 25 coalfield areas that have benefited most from the scheme since its inception in 1999.

Trade and industry minister, Nigel Griffiths, said: “In the past four years, as part of the largest health compensation scheme in the world, the British Government has paid more than £1.1bn to compensate more than 170,000 miners for injuries relating to vibration white finger, and more than £1.2bn to 226,000 miners for injuries relating to respiratory diseases.

“We have paid a total of over £2.3bn to nearly 400,000 people, with individual payments of up to £130,000 for vibration white finger and £370,000 for respiratory disease.

Griffiths said the Government was honouring the debt to former miners who sacrificed their health to power this country.